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Lakeside golfer Hunter Dunagan wins 'Chronicle' all-area honors

Hunter Dunagan was the No. 1 man for Lakeside, which lost the Class AAAAA state title in a playoff to Greenbrier.

After a superb sophomore season, there’s no telling what Lakeside’s Hunter Dunagan will be able to accomplish in his final two years.

Knowing the course and the competition he would be facing, Dunagan told his mother the day before the Georgia High School Association Class AAAAA state golf championship that he might have to shoot 65 to win.

Dunagan scorched the Bartram Trail course with 8-under-par 64, finishing as individual medalist and putting the final touches on his credentials to be named TheAugusta Chronicle All-Area Boys Golfer of the Year.

“I think it’s cool to be honored in the paper for my play and what not,” said Dunagan, whose Panthers lost the team championship in a one-hole playoff to Greenbrier.

“It was kind of frustrating in a way, but we were close and we’ll probably have a better team next year because the freshmen that are coming in are real good,” he added.

The team’s low scorer throughout the season, Dunagan was someone Panthers coach Jody Hilley came to rely on quickly.

“Hunter was Mr. Consistency for us the past year,” Hilley said. “He played our No. 1 spot for the entire year and seemed to enjoy the pressure that came with it.”

Dunagan, who has an ambitious summer schedule, hopes to play golf at the highest level.

“I see it taking me to the PGA Tour,” Dunagan said.

“I definitely want to play college golf for a top-level D-I (Division I) school. I’m keeping my options open. I want to visit a lot of schools and see what fits.”